Perry long road to recovery: Brown to recapture best

Sydney Sixers coach Ben Sawyer can see the parallels between Maitlan Brown's return to the WBBL and the comeback staged by Ellyse Perry last season, as he backs the young quick to return to her best following a serous hamstring injury.

Brown was in career-best form early last WBBL season, having come into the tournament fresh off her first Australia tour, where she narrowly missed making an international debut.

But a mishap while batting for Melbourne Renegades saw her tear her hamstring tendon from the bone, forcing the 24-year-old into surgery and a prolonged recovery.

Brown bounced back to be included in Australia's 18-player squad for the recently concluded multi-format series against India, but again missed out on an Australian debut, and was the only one of the nine pace bowlers in the group not utilised across the seven-match series.

Speaking to cricket.com.au during that tour, Sawyer – who is also an Australia assistant coach – said Brown was not quite ready to break into the national side, but backed her to regain her rhythm at new club Sydney Sixers.

"It's been interesting watching her and Ellyse, they were very similar injuries and I guess Maito is probably where Ellyse was during that New Zealand series (earlier this year)," Sawyer said.

"She's able to play but she's just not 100 per cent there and that's just because she's got to get used to bowling again.

"The one thing I've learned from those injuries is they're pretty significant and just take a bit of time to be really 100 per cent confident in (the hamstring).

"Just watching the two of them, I've seen Ellyse get better and better each game, so getting balls under her belt and consistently bowling is only going to benefit Maitlan."

Brown went for 14 runs from two wicketless overs in the Sixers' rain-shortened opening game against the Melbourne Stars; then bowled her full complement of overs against the Hobart Hurricaneson Sunday, finding good pace as she collected the wickets of Mignon du Preez and Belinda Vakarewa to finish with 2-23.

"It's been coincidental to work with both Maitlan and Ellyse (on their returns from serious hamstring injuries)," Sawyer said on Monday.

"Maitlan performed really, really well yesterday. It's just about easing back into it, she's going to have good days and bad days.

"Her rehab went really well, it was a little bit quicker than most expected."

Perry also bowled impressively to take 2-9 from two overs, while she struck a crucial 27 in her new middle-order role.

The star allrounder's form, particularly with the ball, has been heavily scrutinised since she returned from injury against New Zealand earlier this year.

It remained a consistent talking point throughout the multi-format series against India after a wayward start in the ODIs, followed by gradual improvement in the one-off Test before she was called upon to bowl just three overs across the three T20Is.

Perry also has taken on a new role at the Sixers, after six seasons of opening the batting alongside Alyssa Healy, she has also shuffled down to the middle-order following the arrival of aggressive India opener Shafali Verma.

Sawyer said he remained mystified by the criticism, particularly after Perry's display on Sunday.

"A whole lot has been said that I think has been a little bit over the top," Sawyer said.

"It was her decision to move down the order when we'd spoken a lot about that we hadn't finished off games particularly well.

"It was pretty weird, I saw something after the game yesterday that she's not considered the top 10 cricketers in the WBBL anymore.

"I'd have her in the top 10, I think most teams would.

"People forget that it takes a bit of time as a bit of a senior cricketer to get out of quarantine for 14 days and to get back into it," Sawyer said.

"The more she bowled, the better she got."

The WBBL was given the-all clear to continue amid Hobart's three-day lockdown over the weekend, and crowds will be able to return from Tuesday after the restrictions are lifted on Monday night.

However, strict border controls have left a cloud over when – or even if – Sixers allrounder Erin Burns will be able to join the group.

Burns elected to remain in Sydney to spend extra time with her pregnant wife Anna when her teammates entered quarantine in Hobart; as she had only recently been released from isolation following her return from The Hundred in the UK.

The allrounder was set to join the Sixers at the end of their Tasmania leg of the season later this month, but Sawyer said a place in hotel quarantine had yet to be secured for the 33-year-old.

"Burnsy's desperate to get here and everyone's trying really hard but from my understanding it's been a little bit difficult with quarantine issues and being able to find a quarantine hotel.

"We're trying our absolute best to get her out here as quickly as possible."